Sermons of M. John Calvin upon the Epistle of Saint Paul to the GalatiansSermons of M. Iohn Caluine vpon the Epistle of Saincte Paule to the Galathians

Ye see then why Saint Paul maketh here so sharp a wish, na••ly that they which had troubled ⟨p. 257⟩the Galatians might be utterly alienated from God, and drowned in the gulf of damnation. Now if it be objected that this wish is against the rule of charity: the answer is easy enough. For we be bound to love our enemies, yea though they persecute & vex us: and although they seek nothing but our destruction, yet must we procure their welfare & salvation to the uttermost of our power, and we must have pity & compassion of them to see them so given over unto Satan. Thus ye see what charity importeth. But yet for all this, God must be above all, as I have declared already. Therefore Charity is between man and man. When any man shall have done me wrong, I must forget it. Though he bear me malice, yet must I procure his welfare. But when it cometh to the maintaining of Gods quarrel, there men must be esteemed less than nothing as I have said already. Yet notwithstanding we do clean contrary. For what else is the common practise, than to stoop and strike sail when God is misdealt with? And yet in the mean while every man will follow his own right to the uttermost. As for example: There is a man that hath committed a very heinous crime, he deserveth to be punished: and if he be not corrected there is an evil gap opened to bring in corruption. There is some man of authority, and (to go no further) they that ought to show the way of salvation, they that preach the word of God, even they I say are seen to live wickedly, they be ribalds and lewd folk that serve to no purpose but to make confusion and debate. And yet for all this, they must not be cut off, they must not be handled roughly will some say. A drunkard, a whoremonger, a varlet shall be maintained. To be short, there shall be nothing but contempt of God, & the Gospel shall be unregarded every where, and yet must all of it be suffered under colour that there must some clemency be used: yea marry, and in the mean while Gods honour must be left at random. But if ye do never so little touch these men that are so gentle, or at leastwise pretend to be so: by and by they fall out into deadly defiance, saying: why not? such a man hath done me such a wrong. They fight it out to the uttermost.

Ye see then why Saint Paule maketh heere so sharpe a wishe, na••ly that they which had troubled ⟨p. 257⟩